LD Mountain Centre has been helping generations of people achieve their goals since 1966; from taking their first wild steps to the Hillary Step, and everything in between. We are a community of outdoor enthusiasts, actively indulging in our passions and enthusiastically sharing our experiences. As such, we have seen first-hand the damaging effects of climate change. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that as a business we are keen advocates of sustainable accountability, looking both internally and externally for ways to improve our sustainability and reduce our environmental impact. Like everything, it is an ongoing learning process, and we are constantly searching for ways to improve. We endeavor to make the sustainable choice - most evident in the choice of companies we work with and brands we choose to stock.
It is worth noting not all brands are created equal, and brands will often focus on different aspects of sustainability. We understand this and seek to curate a community of brands that cumulate the entire spectrum of sustainability practices. For example, some focus their environmental efforts on political change, whilst others on technological
advancements to improve products sustainable credentials. Unifying them all is our belief that one of the best ways to be more sustainable is to buy less but invest in quality. A vast amount of a products energy input is invested in its creation and maintenance - something that is up to the task it is asked of it will have a significantly
smaller environmental footprint than a more unsuitable, though less costly at face-value, option.
We therefore invest – and take great pride - in the quality of our staffs’ product knowledge, allowing for informed purchases that will last.
“Sustainability is constantly at the forefront of our minds. We love the outdoors, and we are as committed to encouraging the celebration of our environment as we are improving our relationship with it.”
– Roddy Mckay, LDMC Director.
We love the outdoors, and we are passionate about actively working to safeguard our beloved wild spaces for future generations. Sustainability is a core facet of our values, influencing decisions from the shop floor to head office. Taking responsibility for the environmental footprint of our actions is something we actively engage with at every level of our business.
We make full use of our electric van, transporting products from our warehouse to the shop, making deliveries, everything and anything!
An excellent example of the personal passion of our staff. Thanks to the endeavor and efforts of our shop manager, we recently upgraded our iconic green plastic packaging to a vastly more sustainable paper option for both in-store and online purchases.
The environmental cost of shipping is a difficult pill to swallow for any business with a thriving online retail arm such as us, and it is something we are constantly looking to improve upon. We only work with couriers with detailed environmental policies. For example:.
DPD
Measures their emissions, strives to reduce them and offsets any remainder. They also invest in recycled materials, green energy and energy efficient technologies wherever possible.
“We commit to ensure that every parcel we deliver is carbon neutral at no extra cost to our customers”
– Dwain McDonald,
CEO DPD Group Uk, DPD Environmental Policy, May 2018
ROYAL MAIL
Has the lowest reported carbon emissions per parcel of any major UK delivery company. They are committed to becoming net zero by 2040.
“We’ve already reduced our caron emissions by 31.9%, beating our 2020-21 target and been named ‘industry leader’ in the global Dow Jones Sustainability Index for four of the five years we have been listed.”
– Royal Mail Corporate Responsibility Report
UPS
Have invested over $1B in alternative fuels and advanced environmental technology, have added hundreds of electric vehicles to their global fleet, and are committed to planting 50 million trees by 2030.
““Our roadmap – including achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and improving the well-being of 1 billion lives by 2040 – is provided in detail for everyone to see.” ”
– UPS ESG ACTION PLAN 2022
As much an effect of shop culture as anything else, we are part of the governments’ cycle to work scheme, offering vast savings on bikes to improve our employees carbon footprint, commute, health, and all-round quality of life. Cycling to work can save an average 6% of their annual carbon footprint.
We endeavour to limit the use of single-use plastics or paper, actively encourage public transport and other sustainable choices/initiatives, and seek to implement zero-waste ethics wherever possible.
We have taken great pride in the role we have played in the outdoor industry over the past six decades, and we continue to do so with the brands we choose to stock today. A key principle to this is ensuring our brands not only make quality products, but that they are also actively engaged in mitigating their environmental impact, working towards a greener future:
